MBJ_Mar21_2014

INSIDE — State debt study details challenges to staying creditworthy STATE LEADERS

35 YEARS

1979

www.msbusiness.com

2014

March 21, 2014 • Vol. 36, No. 12 • $1 • 24 pages

NORTH MISSISSIPPI

THE ARTS

ORGANIZERS WANT NEW FESTIVAL TO GO REGIONAL

AGNEW USES NEWS BACKGROUND TO LEAD MPB Read Martin Willoughby’s column {P 23}

Legislature {P 2} » New law aims at cutting wait for organ donations Golden Triangle {P 9} » Toilet seat maker pitching potential buyers as shutdown looms

By LISA MONTI I CONTRIBUTOR mbj@msbusiness.com

Cheers! Let’s eat!

MBJ Focus {P 14}

» SoilTech samples soil before projects begin List {P 20} » Largest Architects

Oxford Craft Beer Festival & Food Show expands » Page 10

Organizers of ArtsAlive! 2014 are billing their March 22 multimedia event in Bay St. Louis as a new sort of arts festival in this festival-rich coastal region.

The daylong program will showcase a blend of art, music, food and literature throughout the historic downtown area, drawing artists and art lovers from all directions. Response to the buildup has been enthusiastic, said Cynthia Mahner, president of The Arts, Hancock County, which is producing ArtsAlive!.

“It’s amazing, all the response we have gotten from the business community, from artists, from just about everybody,” Mahner said.

The event opens at 10 a.m. and ends at 5 p.m. with a finale of the See ARTS ALIVE!, Page 2

http://msbusiness.com/events/health-care-heroes-nomination-form/

2 I Mississippi Business Journal I March 21 2014

HEALTH CARE

ARTS ALIVE!

Transplanting legislation » New law aims at cutting wait for organ donations

BY WALLY NORTHWAY I STAFF WRITER wally.northway@msbusiness.com

In 1999, fans across the globe were saddened to learn that NFL great and Mississippian Walter Payton died of a rare liver disease. In the months leading up to his death, Payton publicly advocated for organ transplants, but passed away before a donor liver could be secured.

That scenario continues to play out across the state. But a new law raises the hopes of the 130,000-plus Mississippians waiting — and desperately hoping — for an organ or tissue transplant.

Senate Bill 2217, authored by Sen. Dean Kirby (District 30), passed the Senate on Anderson a vote of 51-0 on Feb. 5. House members approved the measure on March 5 with a vote of 119-2.

Gov. Phil Bryant signed it into law March 12.

The legislation removed the periodic review of the Mississippi Uniform Anatomical Gift Act (UAGA) that initially passed the legislature in 2008.

“This law ensures first person consent and donation will occur during a medical Stump legal investigation,” said Kevin Stump, CEO of the Mississippi Organ Recovery Agency (MORA). “We lobbied very hard to get the UAGA passed in 2008 because Mississippi was one of the last states to have a donor registry.

The Mississippi Uniform Anatomical Gift Act was a key component in establishing the state’s first donor registry, which currently holds 641,000 registered Mississippians who

Organ Donation Facts from the Mississippi Organ Recovery Agency » More than 1,300 Mississippians are part of the 120,000+ Americans in need of a lifesaving organ transplant. » An average of 18 Americans die each day waiting on a lifesaving organ transplant. » A new person is added to a national transplant list every 10 minutes. » One organ donor can save eight lives.

» One tissue donor can enhance the lives of more than 50 people.

shorter wait times will be under the new law.

“Wait times vary by blood type and the organ needed for transplant,” he said. “That said, due to the organ donation rates in Mississippi, the University of Mississippi Medical Center has some of the shortest waiting times in the country to get a transplant.”

The University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMC) has been a leader in organ transplants. In 2011, UMC physicians performed the first pediatric heart transplant. The following year, UMC began offering liver transplants, and set a record of 103 kidney transplants that same year after seeing a significant drop in those types of procedures. And last year, surgeons at UMC transplanted a pancreas and kidney into a patient, marking the first such event for the state and final piece of UMC’s abdominal transplant line.

Christopher D. Anderson, M.D., a Lucedale native and University of Southern Mississippi graduate who returned to Mississippi in 2011 to serve as associate professor of surgery and chief of the Division of Transplant and Hepato-

“Ten years ago, about 30 percent of families said yes to donations; today it’s 75 to 80 percent for organs and 40 percent for tissue” Kevin Stump CEO of the Mississippi Organ Recovery Agency (MORA)

have signed up to donate organs and tissue for transplantation. In addition to supporting each individual’s right to be a donor, the Mississippi Uniform Anatomical Gift Act endorses collaboration between donation and transplant professionals with those involved in medical legal investigation, all aimed at increasing donations throughout Mississippi.

In 2013, 229 organs from 70 donors were transplanted through MORA. MORA also had 142 tissue donors in 2013.

Stump said it is hard to calculate exactly how much

billary Surgery at UMC, said, “My vision is that first we meet all the transplant needs for citizens of Mississippi, and second that we become a regional center for transplants.”

Anything that facilitates organ donation is a positive, Stump said.

“Ten years ago, about 30 percent of families said yes to donations; today it’s 75 to 80 percent for organs and 40 percent for tissue,” he said. “Donating is really a chance to be a hero after you leave this earth, and it really does save lives.”

Continued from Page 1

singer/songwriter contest at the Mockingbird Cafe from 6-8 p.m. The juried art exhibit will be upstairs at 200 North Beach restaurant and is open to the public. The literary show is based at Bay Books on Main Street. The student art show is in the Longfellow Civic Center. The theater tableau performances are in the Hancock County Courthouse. The singer/songwriter showcase is at Mockingbird Cafe and the culinary showcase is in Starfish Cafe.

More than 55 artists are participating and 20 business are hosting artists for the day. “So people see art and they see the businesses, too. We’re showcasing the whole downtown as well as all the great artists.” The Arts donated $500 and the remainder of the prize money was given by various businesses.

The Arts, Hancock County’s five-year plan for ArtsAlive! is to grow it into a regional event, drawing participants and visitors from across Mississippi and Louisiana. “We have artists from Hattiesburg, New Orleans and Ocean Springs so it’s Coastwide,” Mahner said. “And we’ve have artists lining up for next year.”

ArtsAlive! started as a self-guided studio tour in 2004.

After it was derailed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, it picked back up in 2007 but had lost momentum. “Participation by the artists and the community fell off so we decided to try something different,” said Mahner. “This being a festival area, we thought a street fair would be fun and would allow us to bring in different types of art. We are known as an arts community. Let’s pump that up some more.”

For many of the professional “emerging artists,” it’s the first time they’ve entered a juried show, Mahner said. Some artists who haven’t worked in a while have been inspired to get back into the studio for the event. And The Arts, which has 200 members, has signed up 18 new members plus a large number of membership renewals through the buzz ArtsAlive! is creating. “We feel like we are really encouraging creativity,” said Mahner.

Leaders of The Arts, Hancock County are mindful of the many art groups and events already active along the Coast and their long term goal, Mahner said, is “to reach across the region so our events don’t overlap and there’s always some arts event going on.”

The Peter Anderson Festival in Ocean Springs and Arts in the Pass are two of the large, established annual arts events held nearby. “We want it to grow and grow and make this our huge arts event here,” Mahner said.

March 21, 2014

I

Mississippi Business Journal

TECHNOLOGY

FROM THE MBJ

Moss Point riding leading edge with Northrop Grumman MOSS POINT — If you want an industry firmly entrenched in the future, it’s hard to pick one better than unmanned systems. And if you want a leader in the field, Northrop Grumman is at the front of the high-tech pack.

Northrop Grumman, which builds some of the largest and most capable unmanned aerial systems in the world, established a key production site in Moss Point, eight years ago. It was a significant addition to a region that’s highly active in the robotic field. “We have an internationally recognized unmanned systems center in this community,� said George Freeland, executive director of the Jackson County Economic Development Foundation. “The growth, investment and future job creation we believe will come from this facility is significant.�

The prognosis for the future for the Moss Point facility, a tenant of the Jackson County Aviation Technology Park with direct access to Trent Lott International Airport, is a continuation of the steady stream of work.

Unmanned aircraft represent one of the hottest fields in aerospace. The total worldwide market will increase from $7 billion to $51 billion by 2018, according to a 2012 study

by WinterGreen Research. There’s a potential $92 billion civilian market for UAVs over the next decade. The FAA forecasts 10,000 commercially operated unmanned aircraft could be active within five years.

Open since 2006, the 101,000-square-foot Northrop Grumman center does assembly work on the Fire Scout unmanned helicopter, as well as the several variants of the high-flying Global Hawk surveillance aircraft, including the Navy’s Triton and a version for NATO. There are 70 to 80 workers at Moss Point and employment has been “very steady over the years,� said Northrop spokesman Warren Comer. That consistent employment level has been praised by local and county elected officials and economic developers.

Freeland said Northrop’s $30 million investment in the Unmanned Systems Center and the jobs it creates enhance the economic diversity in a county and region known for shipbuilding and petrochemical operations. He knew when Northrop Grumman first decided to put a facility in Moss Point that it was a game-changer for a county that had gone through the demise of its older industries, like paper-making. “Diversification is critical to any successful economic development,� said Freeland, who sees unmanned systems as the future of aviation. The success of the Moss Point center is putting a spotlight on the workforce and business environment, and that bodes well for future aerospace activities. Indeed, Northrop Grumman officials in 2008 marveled that Jackson County workers surpassed expectations given the normal learning curve. That became well known within the company.

Work done at Moss Point is mostly assembly, Comer said, and “for the Fire Scout, it’ s final assembly.�

Workers have produced 28 of the earlier MQ-8B version of the aircraft and delivered them to the Navy and is in production with the larger MQ-8C Fire Scout.

The Navy has ordered 14 aircraft, so far. Comer said six are going through final assembly at Moss Point. “Once that first aircraft is delivered, we expect to deliver those incrementally about every month or two after that, like car production,� Comer said. The first aircraft could be delivered in the next couple of months, pending the government signing off.

The MQ-8C is based on a commercial Bell Helicopter that is built in Canada, then flown to Bell’s facility in Ozark, Ala., where it is prepared for modification into an unmanned aircraft system. After the manned flight equipment is removed, the helicopter is shipped to Moss

Point, where workers fit it with the unmanned systems architecture. They test the subsystems as they install them.

The completed MQ-8C aircraft are transported from Moss Point to Naval Base Ventura County, Point Mugu, Calif., where they are flight tested.

According to Northrop Grumman, the MQ-8C Fire Scout is designed to fly twice as long and has three times the payload capacity of the MQ-8B variant. The larger helicopter has additional fuel tanks and an upgraded engine enabling it to fly up to 12 hours or carry up to 2,600 pounds, the company said.

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The first Fire Scouts used Schweizer 333 helicopter airframes, about the size of a Volkswagen Beetle. The larger Bell 407 is widely used by law enforcement, television stations, hospitals and to transport offshore oil platform crews. More than 1,000 of the helicopters have been built with over three million flight hours accumulated. — Lisa Monti / MBJ

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4 I Mississippi Business Journal I March 21 2014 CREDIT RATING

State debt study details challenges to staying creditworthy » Fitch Ratings Service says Mississippi’s revised outlook from stable to negative partly reflects the state’s slow fiscal recovery from the recession Rich or poor, the negative can find you.

It’s a lesson the nation’s wealthiest state — Connecticut — and its least wealthy — Mississippi — have learned after Fitch Rating Service handed the two states “negative” debt outlooks.

Mississippi actually stands above Connecticut in creditworthiness at the moment, with an AA+ rating from Fitch compared to Connecticut’s AA. Fitch based Connecticut’s negative outlook for a new $400 million general obligation bond issuance on the state’s budget vulnerability. Even though the Northeastern state has the country highest per capita income, its economic recovery has been slow and its large and important financial sector continues to weaken, Fitch said.

Like Connecticut, Mississippi’s revised outlook from stable to negative, Fitch said, reflects the state’s slow fiscal recovery from the recession.

Mississippi’s other main shortcomings on the credit front, according to Fitch, relate to its reliance on one-time budget infusions such as money from tobacco and foreclosure legal settlements. Further contributing to the poor credit outlook is the state weak demographic profile and increasingly weak pension funding levels,

mated of about $109.5 million, or 2.2 percent of general fund revenues.

In noting the state’s strengths, Fitch said Mississippi’s fiscal management is generally conservative and successful economic development initiatives should bolster employment in coming years.

Mississippi’s $4 billion bond debt burden is moderate, Fitch said, but above average. In fact, Mississippians carry net tax-supported debt per capita above the state’s peer group mean and median and the national mean and median, according to Treasurer Lynn Fitch.

She noted in a new Debt Affordability Study that Moody’s Rating Service says each of the state’s taxpayers covers $1,735 of the state’s debt, compared to a national mean of $1,416 and a national median of $1,074.

The treasurer said Moody’s put the fiscal 2012 debt service ratio at 7.2 percent, 38 percent above the national mean and 46 percent above the median.

In her Debt Affordability Study, Fitch noted annual debt service will run about $433 million for fiscal 2014, down from $458.3 million in fiscal 2013. Over the next 10 years, principal and interest on the state’s existing debt will be about $3.929 billion, with principal totaling $2.496 billion and interest $1.422 billion.

State debt levels have remained “fairly consistent,” in recent years, according to

Figure 8

$700 $600 $500

Millions

By TED CARTER I STAFF WRITER ted.carter@msbusiness.com

New Money Issuance by Year

$400 $300 $200 $100 $0 FY04 FY05 FY06 FY07 FY08 FY09 FY10 FY11 FY12 FY13

Taxable

Charts from Debt Affordabilty Study by Mississippi Office of State Treasurer

new money issuance as well as refunding.

For instance, of the $700 million attributed to 2013, only $176 million represented new issuances.

Treasurer Fitch said refinancing of general obligation bond debt “was one of the first issues we tackled” after she took office.

“The last time we refinanced a lot of variable debt into fixed rate we saved $30 million,” she said.

She compiled the Debt Affordability Study after meeting with Fitch Ratings Service and the two other debt ratings companies, Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s. The latter two preserved a “stable” outlook for the state as well as double A ratings, with Moody’s giving an Aa2 and Standard and Poor’s an AA. “Those ‘double As’ are very, very positive,” Treasurer Fitch said.

2013 Comparison of Mississippi to Peer Group and National Medians Figure 6

Mississippi Peer Group Mean Peer Group Median National Mean National Median

Net Tax-Supported Debt per Capita $1,735 $1,723 $1,573 $1,416 $1,074

Net Tax-Supported Debt as a % of Personal Income 5.4% 3.5% 3.3% 3.4% 2.8%

Debt Service Ratio (FY2012) 7.2% 6.3% 6.5% 5.2% 4.9%

Charts from Debt Affordabilty Study by Mississippi Office of State Treasurer

Fitch said.

The ratings service also noted it is troubled by the state’s use of reserves despite a revenue recovery. The enacted fiscal 2014 budget, for instance, transfers $109 million from state reserves to cover, in part, spending for Medicaid, leaving a balance esti-

Lynn Fitch, though her debt study noted borrowing has fluctuated greatly over the last10 years, going from over $1 billion in 2003 and down to around $150 million in 2005. It has remained in the $600 million to $700 million range from fiscal 2010 to fiscal 2013. The totals include

Tax-Exempt

The debt study concluded the state could borrow $1.8 billion for new buildings, highways and economic development over the next five years, all of which would go to the Bureau of Buildings, Department of Transportation and Mississippi Development Authority.

It has helped that actual General Fund collections for fiscal 2013 surpassed 2012 collections by $248 million, the treasurer said. Collections for 2014 are currently $175 million over the year-to-date estimate, she added.

Meanwhile, the state’s unfunded pension liabilities remain a sore point with the ratings services, especially with Fitch Ratings.

When measured as a percent of personnel income, Mississippi’s unfunded pension liabilities are among the highest of all states, according to Fitch Ratings.

The state adopted a fixed employer contribution rate of 15.75 percent last year designed to bring the funded portion to 80 percent by 2040. Employee contributions, which have been raised steadily in recent years, total 9 percent.

Despite the higher employer contribution rate this year, a combination of fewer public workers and an increasing number of retirements caused the funded portion of the pension fund to drop to 57.7 percent as of June 30, 2013.

Combined, the share of bond debt and pension liabilities borne by Mississippi taxpayers stands at 19.4 percent of 2012 personal income, well above the 7 percent U.S. median for U.S. states rated by Fitch Ratings.

Fitch Ratings said, however, that the demands of debt and pensions on the state’s operating budget continue to be manageable.

Lynn Fitch said the adoption of the fixed 15.75 employer share last year marked “a step toward stability,” and noted the pension has been helped this year by some “phenomenal returns” on investments.

But as a voting member of the Public Employees’ Retirement System of Mississippi, Treasurer Fitch said she has concluded the state must reduce taxpayer liability for the pension fund. “We need to address that. It’s an overall complex issue that has a lot of moving parts.”

NEWSMAKERS Forde named to boards Associate professor John E. Forde, the head of Mississippi State University's communication department, now serves on two national boards dealing with public relations education. Forde recently was appointed to the Universal Accreditation Board of the Public Relations Society of America and the UAB's Commission on Public Relations Education. The UAB appointment represents Forde's second term Forde on the body. His first term from 2007-2012 resulted from an appointment by the Southern Public Relations Federation.

An MSU communication/public relations graduate, Forde holds master's and doctoral degrees in public relations and communication, respectively, from the University of Southern Mississippi.

Forde, who has held UAB accreditation for 20 years and was named in 2010 to the PRSA College of Fellows, long has advocated for accreditation of the public relations profession. He has served as SPRF vice president for accreditation and numerous related committees.

Jackson, Wingard join staff

le B Bu ss un si th dl nes an es s $ 75 for /m o.

WhereToGo411.com has expanded its staff, adding Alana Jackson and Marshall Wingard as senior account executives. Jackson earned a bachelor of science degree in mass communications with a public relations emphasis from Jackson State University. She is working towards a master of public administration

March 21, 2014

degree at Belhaven University. Jackson has more than five years of experience in media relations and sales.

Wingard is a graduate of Jackson State University, where he earned a bachelor of science degree in history education. He spent more than 20 years working in sales, operations and sales management with extensive experience within telecom, health care and security industries. Wingard took an early retirement from a telecom company in 2011, and decided to return to the workplace with WhereToGo411.com.

Presley named to committee National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners president Colette D. Honorable has named Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley chair of the association’s Committee on Consumer Affairs.

Presley is replacing outgoing committee chair Betsy Wergin of Minnesota, whose three-year term expired.

Presley was elected public service commissioner for the Northern District of Mississippi in 2007 and re-elected in 2011. He was the youngest commissioner ever elected in Mississippi. Prior to his election to the PSC, he served as mayor of Nettleton from 2001 to 2007, having been elected at the age of 23, making him one of the youngest mayors in Mississippi history. Presley currently serves as President of the Southeastern Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners. In addition to the Committee on Consumer Affairs, Presley serves on NARUC’s Committees on Water and is a former member of the board of directors of the National Regulatory Research Institute.

Wire your business for success

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I

Mississippi Business Journal

Leadership class chosen

The Mississippi Municipal League (MML) has hired Chris Hinton of Raymond as its director of governmental affairs. Hinton brings over 10 years of professional and communal service through his previous roles with Natchez Inc., Center for Business Development & Economic Research, Jackson Redevelopment Authority, Mississippi Economic Development Council and Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services in Hinton Disability Determination.

Hinton obtained a master’s degree in economic development from the University of Southern Mississippi and a bachelor’s in economics-business administration from Tougaloo College. He is currently a member of the Mississippi Economic Development Council, Mississippi Economic Council and the Southern Economic Development Council. He also serves as treasurer for the Mississippi District Export Council through the U.S. Department of Commerce.

In 2012, Hinton was honored by the Mississippi Business Journal as one of the state's Top 40 Under 40 Business Leaders. He also was selected as the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Mississippi 2013 Minority Small Business Champion in recognition of National Small Business Week.

The Oxford Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce has unveiled its 2014 class of the Leadership Lafayette program. The 2014 class includes: Maranda Anderson, FNB Oxford; Steven Ash, Newk's Eatery; Allissa Barkett, Volt; Angela Barlow, University of Mississippi; Joe Bishop, Oxford Police Department; Matt Bishop, Shelter Insurance; Gant Boone, Oxford University Bank; Dawn Boutwell, Alfa; Matt Burris, Mayo Mallette, PLLC; Courtney Cedotal, Charter Road Hospitality; Kyle Fallin, Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi; Marshall Fratesi, Bank of Oxford; Britton Holleman, Addicus, LLC; Kirk Johnston, Regions Bank; Adam Lee, University of Mississippi; E.J. Lehman, Chili's Bar and Grill; Michael Marino, FNC Inc.; Russ McNees, Holcomb Dunbar; Elizabeth McRight, MPAK Inc.; Eric Morgan, Caterpillar; Karen Peairs, University of Mississippi; Alice Ricks, United Way; Jeremy Roberts, University of Mississippi; Emily Scheuer, FNC Inc.; Golda Sharpe, University of Mississippi; Debbie Swan, Baptist Memorial HospitalNorth Mississippi; and Jordan Watson, Randall Commercial Group.

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Website: www.msbusiness.com March 21, 2014 Volume 36, Number 12

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MBJPERSPECTIVE March 21, 2014 • www.msbusiness.com • Page 6

» ANALYSIS

Sunshine Week brings an advance in transparency efforts

W

ell, that’s more like it.

The state Legislature this week passed two very important bills on to Gov. Phil Bryant for his consideration.

Both S.B. 2507 and H.B. 928 make significant needed improvements to Mississippi’s so-called “Sunshine laws.”

They’re known that way here and across the nation because of their purpose to increase transparency in government.

The Senate bill gives limited power to the Mississippi Ethics Commission to enforce the state Public Records Act; the House measure puts in place limitations on what can be charged for labor and materials while accessing public records at your local courthouse, city hall or elsewhere.

Bravo!

Groups such as the Mississippi Center for Freedom of Information, state press association and other advocacy groups have been scrapping for these improvements for years. It goes back, for sure, beyond the eight years I have worked with the Mississippi Press Association.

But, this session was different. Both bills passed the legislature by wide margins. They’re now awaiting the governor’s signature.

So what happened? What changed previous opposition and apathy at the Capitol and resulted in these bills passing almost unanimously this year?

Sometimes, there is little explanation for the mercurial proclivities of a legislature. What is kosher one year may be off limits the next, and vice versa. Regardless, I have been told more than once not to look a gift horse in the mouth.

It’s worth pointing out that when Bryant was elected as governor in 2011, one of his campaign promises was to increase transparency in state government.

As a chronic skeptic and former journalist, I’ve on more than one occasion wondered if he and I shared the same definition for what that would mean. But the passage of these two bills are an undeniable strengthening of the Open Meetings and Public Records Acts that were passed into law three decades ago.

Enacting S.B. 2507 makes good sense: It extends to the Ethics Commission similar power over matters of public records it already holds over the Open Meetings Act. The commission currently can make decisions and impose penalties for instances of

» HOW TO WRITE Letters to the editor are one of the most widely read features of the Mississippi Business Journal, and they give everyone a chance to voice their opinions about current affairs. We’re interested in what you think and we welcome Letters to the Editor for publication. Here are the guidelines: >> Letters should not exceed 300 words in length as a general rule. >> All letters must bear the writer’s address and telephone number. Street addresses and telephone numbers will not be published, but may be used for verification pur-

Layne Bruce

violating the open meetings law. The commission serves as a vital intermediary that in some cases prevents the need for costly litigation.

But when Mississippians file complaints to the commission over perceived Public Records Act violations, state Ethics Commissioner Tom Hood and his team are only allowed to issue advisory opinions in cases. The tiger really didn’t have any teeth.

Now, when the bill becomes law, they’ll be able to make decisions and impose penalties in instances where government officials or agencies are found to have acted in error or, worse, in outright violation of the law.

According to an Associated Press story, the Ethics Commission has issued 42 opinions in public records complaint cases in the last six years. But, whatever the crux of those opinions, they were merely that – only opinions.

“We don’t have any authority to subpoena or review disputed documents,” Hood told AP reporter Jeff Amy. That evidently is about to change.

H.B. 928 is not a perfect bill by any estimation, and more work is needed to make access to public records less of a hassle for those who need and want to know more about the people in and business of government.

Both bills passed on the eve of Sunshine Week, March 16-22, a time when advocacy groups such as MCFOI and its brethren across the country call attention to the need for greater transparency in government.

It suitably falls each year around the birthday of President James Madison, the author of the Bill of Rights.

This year, Mississippians who believe in the public’s right to know the business of government can celebrate a couple of vital steps forward for increasing “sunshine” in Mississippi.

There’s still a long way to go. But we’re getting there.

This week, at least, Gov. Bryant, freedom of information advocates and, indeed, the public at large, can bask in a little more sunshine.

Layne Bruce is executive director of the Mississippi Press Association. Find out more about Sunshine Week at sunshineweek.org.

poses. Letters may not appear without the author’s name. >> Form letters, thank you letters and letters to third parties generally are not acceptable. >> Letters must be typed or e-mailed. >> Letters must conform to good taste, not be libelous and not involve personal attacks on other persons. >> All letters are subject to editing, and become the property of the Mississippi Business Journal. >> Letters can be sent to The Editor, The Mississippi Business Journal, 200 North Congress, Suite 400, Jackson, MS 39201, delivered to the newspaper during regular business hours or e-mailed to editor@msbusiness.com. They may also be faxed

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» CORRECTIONS The Mississippi Business Journal takes seriously its responsibility to provide accurate information, and will correct or clarify articles produced by the editorial department if we have made an error or published misleading information. The correction will be placed in the perspective section.

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PERSPECTIVE

March 21, 2014 I Mississippi Business Journal

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» RICKY NOBILE » INSIDE POLITICS

Inmate sues over execution drug The Mississippi Department of Corrections is asking a state judge to rule that information on execution drugs and suppliers is confidential and exempt from the state's Public Records Act. The motion came in its response to a lawsuit filed by lawyers for a woman who faces the death penalty for killing her husband. Attorneys for Michelle Byrom say the state is providing no information on whether the drugs are safe and reliable or whether they are tainted, expired, counterfeited or compromised in some way.

The corrections agency said it has provided essentially everything requested except for the drug maker's identity.

Byrom and her attorneys asked Hinds County Chancery Judge William Singletary to hold the agency in violation of Mississippi's public records law.

She was sentenced to death in 2000 in Tishomingo County in the shooting death of her husband, Edward "Eddie" Byrom Sr. Attorney General Jim Hood has asked the state Supreme Court to set a March 27 execution date for Byrom.

Vanessa Carroll, who now represents Byrom for the New Orleans office of the MacArthur Justice Center, was an attorney with the agency that handles appeals for Mississippi's death row inmates. She submitted the same public records request in October when she worked there and received a May 2012 invoice for the barbiturate sodium pentobarbital and a copy of the protocol for administering the drugs. Neither was released to her this time when it was requested in February.

— Jack Elliott, AP

»FROM THE GROUND UP

A word of advice to nonprofits: Don’t oversolicit

A

few weeks ago I posted the following on my Facebook page: “A word of advice for nonprofits — Don't oversolicit. I contributed to a very worthy nonprofit community organization a few months ago. Now a week does not go by that I get an email or a letter asking for a contribution. You know what that makes me want to do, doesn't it?”

Dozens of comments and “likes” later, it was obvious that this issue is rather common. Respondents told story after story of how they had made charitable contributions only to be besieged by continuing contact and recurring requests.

In my case, I was drawn to this particular community organization because it touched three of my hot buttons. First, it provided a service to the needy, especially those who are in transition from a crisis in their lives. Second, its employees have obviously been trained in how to deal with volunteers and contributors, plus its employees are often those on the road to recovery. Third, the executive director is someone who gave up a professional career because he or she felt called to assume the role of working with the organization.

This specific issue began shortly after this past December when I made a financial contribution to the organization. It took only a couple of weeks until the letters and e-mails began arriving. My first reaction was to call the organization and request that I be taken off their list. But I thought better of it. For one reason, the solicitations simply did not match the personality, so to speak, of the organization, which seemed so humble and softspoken. Also, I thought the solicitations would stop after a couple of months if I did not contribute anything more. Not a chance. I knew that I could probably call the executive director and get the mailings stopped. Nevertheless, I decided to investigate further about solicitations in general.

What I found was not surprising. This organization, like many others, turns its list of contributors over to a marketing company. Some marketers have it down to a science. They know how many solicitations can be made before the average contributor will cry uncle.

They also know that they may not get paid unless a contribution is made. The charitable organization knows that it can parcel out these activities because there is little cost to the organization. It all makes very good sense to everyone except the overwrought contributor.

The American Institute of Philanthropy, which is now known as CharityWatch, reports that its most frequently heard complaint is related to excessive solicitations. In response it suggests that donors request to be removed from mailing lists. It even provides a Fundraising Reduction Notice form that can be mailed to the charity. It also offers the following “Seven Tips for Reducing Unwanted Mail and Phone Appeals:” 1. Be selective in your giving. Concentrate on giving to fewer charities.

2. When you give money to a charity or nonprofit group, enclose a note requesting that

the organization not rent, sell or exchange your name, address and giving history with anyone else.

Phil Hardwick 3. Write to individual charities to stop or reduce the frequency of solicitations.

4. Contact the Direct Marketing Association to have your name removed from the mailing lists of some direct mail marketing companies and nonprofit organizations. The address is: Mail Preference Service Direct Marketing Association PO Box 643 Carmel, NY 10512 5. Credit bureaus have a toll-free number-1-888-5-OPTOUT (1-888-567-8688)-that will prevent having pre-approved credit offers sent to you for two years.

6. National “Do Not Call” List: Unfortunately, nonprofits are not required to use this list.

However it may reduce calls from for-profit fundraising companies that nonprofits hire. To get on the list, call 888-382-1222 or log on to www.donotcall.gov.

7. Contact state and local officials.

Regarding that last point, there is an excellent resource in Mississippi for dealing with charities registered in the Magnolia State. There is a Charities Division at the Mississippi Secretary of State’s Office that offers valuable financial information for a donor to decide whether to continue giving to a charity or begin giving to one. The website also lists the purpose of the charity, its executive director and other useful information. I went to the website at www.sos.ms.gov/securities_and_charities.aspx and then clicked on a link that will let one search for and review financial information about charities that have registered. Listed are total revenue and total expenses, with expenses categorized as Program Services Expenses, Fund Raising Expenses, Administrative Expenses, and Other Expenses.

I discovered that the charity that has been sending me the mailings spends approximately 12 percent of its total expenses on fundraising. For comparison, I checked on two other favorite charities that provide similar services and discovered that one spends about 8.6 percent and the other about 8.7 percent.

Caution should be used, however, in comparing charities. Some, because of the nature of their missions, will have greater fundraising expenses.

Finally, donors have the ultimate control over how much a charity receives in contributions. And that has a bearing on solicitations.

Phil Hardwick is coordinator of capacity development at the John C. Stennis Institute of Government. Pease contact Hardwick at phil@philhardwick.com.

8 I Mississippi Business Journal I March 21 2014 THE SPIN CYCLE – Pithy PRognostications From A Recovering Journalist

The Branding of South by Southwest (SXSW)

S

outh by Southwest — otherwise know by the cool, swank and uber successful acronym SXSW — has transformed into a branding powerhouse that meets in the hip Texas capitol of Austin each March. What began in 1987, and continued to grow in size every year as a more than weeklong series of film, interactive and music festivals, has evolved into a virtual branding behemoth.

Typically, the shindig offers an interactive showcase that lasts for about five days, music for a week and film for nine days concurrently in a fusion of technology, music and marketing.

The SXSW Interactive conference has become a microcosm of what’s happening in our digital society.

This SXSW branding juggernaut is on the leading-edge of how businesses, brands and companies are making major strides in everything from startups to Fortune 500s.

Once you get past the exorbitant transportation challenges at the conference — more than a few SXSWers paid Uber nearly $200 per ride between events – there was a volumes to learn about key trends that will drive the PR, marketing and advertising industry for much of 2014, and beyond!

Beyond the usual suspects of wearable tech, and mobile marketing, some of the best brand gems were how the continued merging of technology and marketing is changing the business landscape.

Between all the panels, interactive workshops, music and stage, several key themes emerged that are part of our transforming industry.

1. Companies are learning how to apply big data. Today, data and analytics are a marketing and communication imperative. It’s simply not enough to have the data; marketers — both at large companies and emerging companies — require actionable insights, and individualized data, that can help drive decision-making. The future of big data is “smart data” and “clean data.” In other words, it’s not enough to have it. What matters most now is applying creativity and strategy toward understanding what to do with it.

2. Brands are getting more intelligent. This year, it was very clear that brands were in attendance for one overriding reason — to learn from and listen to emerging and fast growing technology companies. Take the perspective of Verizon’s CMO of enterprise solutions, John Harrobin. “Huge companies seek the insights and agility that fast-moving innovators provide. We're constantly on the lookout for startups who can be additive to our core business on both the enterprise and consumer side.”Ross Fubini, a partner at Canaan Partners (recounted conversation after conversation with major retail brands and marketing execs (including Victoria’s

Secret) that attended the conference. “They were here with the distinct purpose of learning about new technologies to present back to the C-suite. This is business intelligence at its best.”The smartest brands — big and small — understand the upside of looking downstream (and up) for inspiration and insights.

3. The acquisition spree should continue (but with a twist). Then there's the trend of nontech companies snapping up tech companies. One example of this was Staples' recent acquisition of e-commerce tech startup, Runa. Startups that have managed to build massive, loyal customer bases are prime targets for large retail brands and enterprises looking to expand into niche markets.Beyond big data, brand intelligence and the buying habits of large companies, lies one theme that will continue to drive the future relevance of SXSW and continue to make it one of the best places to spot trends and network, while simultaneously sipping on cocktails. And that is — the excitement and energetic force of being in a concentrated area with some of the world’s brightest innovators and entrepreneurs.

The festival has come a long way since 1986 when a 31-year-old proofreader and deliveryman for an alternative weekly newspaper in Austin persuaded his bosses to put on a local music festival. That small, grassroots event — which drew 700 people its inaugural year — has since mushroomed into one of the largest and most influential gatherings on the planet. The interactive/film/music citywide party, drew nearly 70,000 enthusiasts to Austin this year, who filled every hotel room in the city and showcased appearances by Chelsea Clinton and Soundgarden, as well as former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden of government surveillance fame and WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange (both via satellite from undisclosed locations).

Now in its 27th year, SXSW — the name is a play on the classic Hitchcock thriller North

by Northwest — has helped connect Internet start-ups with more than $500 million in funding, launched the careers of filmmakers like Lena Dunham, creator and star of the HBO hit show Girls, and pours more than $200 million a year into the local economy.

Across Austin, musical acts both known and unknown cram into nightclubs for allday, all-night jam sessions, as movie stars mingle with mobile moguls. Prince closed out last year's festival with a late-night show at a downtown club. This year, the iTunes Festival made its U.S. debut during SXSW with a free, five-day concert featuring Coldplay and Willie Nelson, among others.

As if SXSW weren't enough, the conference has spawned siblings, including SXSWedu, a four-day symposium focusing on education issues, and SXSW V2V, a Las Vegas-based event focused on start-ups.

More are in the works.

What makes SXSW so popular? For starters, it's one of the few conferences offering three distinct themes — interactive, film and music — all in Todd Smith one place, says Kelly Peacy, a senior vice president with the Professional Convention Management Association, a Chicago-based industry group with 6,000 members. The gathering's success hinges on its ability to allow attendees from each field to interact with one another, connecting techies with film producers and musicians, all with the common vision of making their marketing resonate more effectively.

After a few years of putting on music seminars and shows, SXSW organizers in 1994 decided to add a multimedia section, to explore the still nascent Internet, and a film section, to showcase local filmmakers.

Hugh Forrest, who was hired by SXSW because he was one of the few at the time with a computer, a Macintosh Plus, was put in charge of the multimedia section.

and other new companies have made it tough for start-ups to stand out.

But make no mistake, when it comes to launching a new trend in branding, digital marketing, social media or public relations — an annual plane ticket to Austin is a smart move.

Selfie Capital of the World Makati City, known as the financial center of the Philippines, can now boast another distinction according to TIME — It is the Selfie Capital of the World.

An examination of hundreds of thousands of selfies — the low-fi, self-shot photographs that are intensely popular among younger social media users — suggests that the city, part of metropolitan Manila and home to 500,000 people, produces more selfies per capita than any other city in the world.

To investigate the geography of selfie-taking, TIME built a database of more than 400,000 Instagram photos tagged “selfie” that included geographic coordinates. In total, the media giant ranked 459 cities to determine the selfiest places on earth. Here a the Top 5: 1. Makati City and Pasig, Philippines — 258 selfie-takers per 100,000 people.

2. Manhattan — 202 selfie-takers per 100,000 people.

3. Miami — 155 selfie-takers per 100,000 people.

4. Anaheim and Santa Ana, Calif. — 147 selfie-takers per 100,000 people.

5. Petaling Jaya, Malaysia — 141 selfie-takers per 100,000 people.

Birth of the internet theater The first multimedia event showcased the wonders of CD-ROM and featured an "Internet Theater," housed in a tent on the lawn of a downtown hotel, to show attendees how to access the Web. Over the years, SXSW has had its ups and downs. Remember the tech-bubble pop of 1999 and the 9/11 terrorist attacks two years later forced people to think beyond brands Healthy Mic | Golden RX @SXSW and performance and focus on more imporCall it the perfect Rx for the SXSW tech tant worldwide events. hangover. For the first time in its history, SXSW has a new focus on health care. BeSXSW’s Twitter moment sides panel discussions about the role of Then came the "Twitter moment." Hav- technology in wellness, the 2014 conference ing officially launched nine months earlier, included a competition for makers of perTwitter execs attended the 2007 SXSW, sonal-health apps and gadgets. One entrant setting up flat-screen TVs in the hallways of being a "smart" pill bottle that sends textthe conference displaying their start-up's message refill reminders to your neighborfeatures. It became an instant sensation, hood drugstore. Meanwhile, other morphing into one of the most popular and innovations in tech apps include shelves that valuable start-ups in history. beam coupons to smartphones. The Golden Mic goes to continued innovation in health Foursquare slingshots onto the scene care technology.

Two years later, Foursquare, a locationEach week, The Spin Cycle will bestow a based social networking site, also shot to su- Golden Mic Award to the person, group or perstardom at SXSW. Attendees began company in the court of public opinion that pouring in, hoping their online idea could best exemplifies the tenets of solid PR, marbecome the next big thing. Last year, keting and advertising — and those who 30,000 participants attended the interac- don’t. Stay tuned — and step-up to the mic! tive side alone.

And remember … Amplify Your Brand!

Jared Hecht, co-founder of Fundera, an online marketplace for small-business loans, Todd Smith is president and chief communihas been going to SXSW since 2010, first cations officer of Deane, Smith & Partners, a fullwith micro-blogging platform Tumblr and service branding, PR, marketing and advertising firm offices in Jackson. The firm — based in Nashville, later representing GroupMe.com, a mobile with Tenn. — is also affiliated with Mad Genius. Contact him group-messaging app. In the ensuing years, at todd@deanesmithpartners.com, and follow him a barrage of corporate messaging, parties @spinsurgeon.

March 21 2014

RESTAURANT

Fast-casual dining franchisee hits rough patch but operates in strong category » Pinnacle Restaurant Corp. has McAllister’s and Mazzio’s locations across metro Jackson

By TED CARTER I STAFF WRITER ted.carter@msbusiness.com

Fiscal turbulence has forced Ridgeland’s Pinnacle Restaurant Corp., operators of several McAllister’s Deli and Mazzio’s Italian Eatery restaurants in metro Jackson, to seek Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

Pinnacle has a trio of McAllister’s locations in Pearl, Richland and Bryam and seven Mazzio’s throughout the Jackson area. It also operates a half dozen Mazzio’s in Texas as well as a pair of Ken’s Pizza outlets and an Oliveto Italian Bistro in the Lone Star state.

Pinnacle filed for bankruptcy in Mississippi Southern District Bankruptcy Court on Oct. 31, listing its largest unsecured creditors as Mazzio’s Corp., Tulsa, Okla., $563,735; restaurant food and equipment supplier Sygma, Dublin, Ohio, $96,579; and HORNE LLP, Ridgeland, $24,226.

Other Mississippi companies listed as creditors are Coomes Produce Co., Vicksburg, $5,334; FMS Lighting, Jackson, $5,217; Morgan White Administrators, Jackson, $4,729; JM Properties LLC, Ridgeland, $4,200; and Auto Chlor Systems Inc., Pearl, $3,166.

Pinnacle executives, including president Tommy Johnsey, did not return phone calls this week and last week seeking comment on the company’s reorganization plans.

The Chapter 11 filing came in a year n which McAlister's Deli company-owned stores increased same-store sales 4.8 percent. A 3.7-percent increase in entree sales drove the 2013 store sales increase, the 25-year-old company said in a February press statement.

Total system sales in 2013 were $459 mil-

lion with an average unit volume of $1.5 million for all traditional stores continuously open and operating during 2013.

Mazzio’s began in 1961 with the Pizza Parlor, later known as Ken’s Pizza, founded by Ken Selby. Today the Mazzio’s Corp., parent to the Mazzio’s and Oliveto concepts, has more than 140 locations in 10 states.

Part-time Ridgeland resident Phil Friedman bought the McAllister’s Deli chain in 1999 during his tenure as president of Panda Express. “I did really well with McAllister’s,” said Friedman, who sold the company in 2005 to a private equity group but stayed on as CEO until 2010, growing the company from 30 to nearly 300 stores over his 11-year tenure.

“Often when franchises get in trouble, it’s not the concept. It’s usually more situational,” he said.

Though Pinnacle has hit a rough patch, it is operating in the right space with its ownership of fast casual restaurants such as McAllister’s and Mazzio’s, Friedman said in an interview last week.

“The general environment is really good for quick casual,” he said. “While the economy is not as strong as we want it to be” and discretionary spending could be stronger, “people are still going out to eat.”

The quick causal is the right way to get their business, he said, because the food is good quality, service is quick and convenient and you won’t go broke paying the bill.

“They want something relevant to their lives,” Friedman said of customers of fast casual. “Quick casual is perfect. It has more variety; it’s a little more upscale with a seating environment but without table service.”

The concept is doing well in Mississippi, the restaurant entrepreneur said.

It fits well for families going to dinner and for individuals, he said. “It’s less cumbersome and less costly.”

See

PINNACLE, Page 11

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Mississippi Business Journal

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TOILET SEAT MAKER PITCHING POTENTIAL BUYERS AS SHUTDOWN LOOMS » Sanderson Plumbing Products’ notice of an April 29 shutdown is required under the Clinton-era plant closing law

By TED CARTER I STAFF WRITER ted.carter@msbusiness.com

A bankrupt toilet seat maker, which a dozen years ago was Columbus’ largest manufacturing employer, has told workers it will close at the end of April if it does not find a buyer by then.

But that date announced by Sanderson Plumbing Products may not be as firm as it sounds, said Joe Max Higgins, CEO of the Golden Triangle Development Link, the economic development entity for Columbus, Starkville and the rest of the Triangle region.

The notice to workers is part of federal requirement under the Clinton-era plant closing law. “I think April 29 represents the 60-day notice,” Higgins said of the notice issued Sanderson Plumbing Products, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Oct. 30.

“I think a lot will be driven by the lender,” Higgins added.

Sanderson Plumbing has two main lenders — the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA), which has an approximate $1.5 million first lien on the company’s 360,000-square-foot building, and New

Orleans-based BizCapital BIDCO II LLC, which has a $1.9 million first lien on the plant’s equipment, inventory, patents and other assets, bankruptcy court documents show.

The MDA also has an $800,000 second lien on equipment and other assets, according to the court filings.

The MDA and Small Business AdministrationSee

SHUTDOWN, Page 12

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10 I Mississippi Business Journal I March 21 2014

CREATIVE ECONOMY

Cheers! Let’s eat! » Oxford Craft Beer Festival and Food Show expands

BY WALLY NORTHWAY I STAFF WRITER wally.northway@msbusiness.com

The state of Mississippi just rolled out a new marketing campaign for this year titled “Mississippi Homecoming,” aimed at boosting tourism and the state’s creative economy.

And, the 2nd Annual Oxford Craft Beer Festival and Food Show is doing its part to see that the campaign is successful.

To be held Saturday, April 19 at the Colonel’s Quarters on Highway 6 in Oxford, the Oxford Craft Beer Festival and Food Show is expanding its unique beerfood matchup with a new home brew section and a regional pizza-cooking competition this year.

“There are a ton of craft beer festivals now, and we were looking for ways to be different when we started talking about organizing a festival here in Oxford,” said Darryl Parker, the festival’s organizer. “So, we decided to match the craft beers with food. That was great last year, so we’re bringing it back. This year, we have added the South Eastern Pizza Classic competition. I mean, what goes better with beer than pizza? And, we will also offer a home brew section where home brewers can network with others to share ideas.”

Parker, who is also host of the Oxford Blues Festival (to be held July 18-19), said he “completely underestimated” the event’s crowd last year. The festival drew approximately 900 attendees last year, far more than expected.

Last year’s festival was a two-day event, but has been trimmed to Saturday only this year due to Easter. Still, organizers are planning for as many as 1,500 festival-goers this year.

More than 140 craft beers will be offered, including samples from Mississippi companies Lazy Magnolia Brewing in Kiln and the local Oxford Brewing Company.

The new home brew section will offer samples provided by Memphis Home Brewers and Mississippi Home Brewers as well as the chance to network with other brewers.

The festival’s unique beer-chef matching event returns for the Food Show.

Local chefs will prepare an appetizer, an entrée and a dessert, which will be paired with the perfect brew. Some of the participating chefs will include Rob Ray, Sean Adams, John Myrick, Tim Woodard and Sam Thamatok.

Attendees will also be offered complimentary samples of food from other local chefs and choice steak cuts provided by the

Photos courtesy of Paul Gandy / Special to the MBJ

Darryl Parker and the team that is organizing the 2nd Annual Oxford Craft Beer Festival and Food Show are looking to grow the event after last year’s festival drew a larger-than-expected crowd.

Mississippi Cattleman’s Association.

The biggest news out of the festival this year, however, is the South Eastern Pizza Classic. Sponsored by brewer Samuel Adams and Oxford-based PMQ Pizza Magazine, the pizza bake-off will pit teams representing Southeastern Conference schools. At press time, 11 of the 14 SEC schools had teams committed to the competition, but Parker was hoping to land more this week.

The winner will receive a grand prize and the opportunity to join the U.S. Pizza Team, which competes in bake-offs around the world.

The Oxford Craft Beer Festival and Food Show will also provide live music, arts and crafts, food vendors and more.

The main event will run from noon-6 p.m. with the last beer poured at 5:45 p.m.

An Early Bird Event will be held from 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m. (VIP ticketholders may enter the event at 10 a.m.)

General admission is $45 and $15 for designated drivers. VIP tickets are $75 and $25 for designated drivers. Early Bird Event tickets are $25.

Ticketholders are provided all the beer they can sample, food sampling on a first come first serve basis (local chef samples are guaranteed for VIP ticket holders) and other event activities.

Parker said discussions are already underway about the 2015 event. He said he was waiting on feedback from this year’s participants before committing to any new

offerings, but did say one addition could be breakout sessions where attendees can hear the latest on beer-related topics.

“For instance, Mississippi does not offer glass recycling,” Parker said. “So, one topic next year could focus on the environment and green issues.

“We definitely are planning on bringing the Oxford Craft Beer Festival back next year, and we have been absolutely thrilled with the response we have gotten.”

For more on the 2nd Annual Oxford Craft Beer and Food Show, visit www.oxfordbeerfest.com. Parker may be reached at jdparker@oxfordbeerfest.com.

March 21 2014

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INCENTIVES

Bill to renew Mississippi tourism sale tax rebates in home stretch

By TED CARTER I STAFF WRITER ted.carter@msbusiness.com

A proposed three-year renewal of Mississippi’s tourism incentives includes a provision designed to spur development of a convention center hotel in Jackson and perhaps Biloxi.

Convention hotels would be eligible for sales tax rebate of up to 80 percent over 15 years under two conditions: the properties are built within 1,000 feet of an existing convention complex and the local government in the locality in which the property is built approves the sales tax diversion.

The renewal of sales tax rebates Mississippi offers developers of resort hotels, golf courses, theme parks and retail attractions in designated “entertainment districts” would be expanded under the legislation as now written.

The incentive offers developers of “destination” properties sales tax rebates of 80 percent over 15 years, up from the current 10 years. As with the convention hotels, local governments have to approve the sales tax diversion.

The three-year renewals are included in HB1358 which the House passed early in the session and the Senate on March 1.

Amendments include a reduction in the required cost of each guest room from

PINNACLE

Continued from Page 9

The strongest locations are ones with both offices and family residences nearby, according to Friedman.

Meanwhile, Friedman is putting his money where his faith is: Bringing a new fast causal chain to Mississippi.

The chain, Salsarita’s Fresh Cantina, specializes in build-your-own burritos with all fresh ingredients.

He bought the Charlotte, N.C.- based Salsarita’s soon after leaving McAllister’s.

The 14-year-old chain has locations in 19 states, with most of its 82 restaurants concentrated in the Southeast.

The first Mississippi store is under construction in Southaven and others are planned for the upstate, Madison and eventually the Mississippi coast, Friedman said.

“I know they are going to do well.”

$150,000 to $125,000 and add to the eligibility list hotels built or restored in historic districts or next to convention centers.

Another amendment sets a distance of at least 50 miles from any cultural retail attraction that opened before Jan. 1, 2014.

The sales tax rebates may seem large at 80 percent but a high-end resort hotel with $40 million or so in private investment must do consistently well to truly benefit from it, said Gaines Sturdivant, CEO of MMI Hotel Group and member of the Jackson Convention & Visitors Bureau board.

“A hotel has do a lot of business for it to recoup the kind of sales tax that would be really meaningful,” said Sturdivant, whose company owns, manages and developers hotel throughout the South.

“By the same token,” he added, “that could get them over the hurdle.”

Sturdivant called the incentives a worthy investment in the state’s visitor industry without requiring an actual outlay. “It’s a sales tax rebate. They are not writing you a check for a set number,” he said.

The bill has also been amended to allow rebate eligibility for developers who spend $125,000 per room, an amount previously set at $150,000. Sturdivant said the $125,000 a room would make for a “very nice hotel,” and would bring the cost of a 320-room hotel to $40 million.

That sounds like a convention center hotel, he said, calling it an outcome him and other members of the Jackson CVB board would welcome.

“I think from the CVB perspective we would be very much in favor of anything

that would incentivize high quality hotels to come — even it is not downtown.”

Rep. Alex Monsour, bill sponsor, said he expects some further changes as the rebate incentives go through the conference process. The conference work, he said, will be aimed “at avoiding something that costs the state a lot of money.”

While the standard resort private investment to qualify is $40 million, the Senate amendments allow a hotel built or restored in a historic district or within 1,000 feet of a convention center to qualify with a private investment as low as $5 million.

A hotel investment as low as $15 million can qualify but the developer would have to spend at least $200,000 on each guest room with a minimum of 25 rooms, according to HB1358.

With a $10 million investment, the sales tax rebates are available for resort golf courses, theme parks, motor speedways, convention centers and a host of other visitor attractions, the bill says.

Also under HB1358, a $50 million investment can qualify a “Cultural retail attraction” for the Tourism Rebate Program, though the project must combine destination shopping with cultural or historical elements specific to Mississippi.

A retail project that is part of masterplanned development for which $100 million in private investment is made can also qualify. The bill requires that a retail center must have at least 50 tenants and at least 300,000 square feet.

The rule of a 50-mile distance from an existing retail destination also applies.

All projects must be submitted for approval by the executive director of the Mississippi Development Authority before June 30, 2017, according to HB 1358.

12 I Mississippi Business Journal I March 21 2014 DeSoto 5.3

MISSISSIPPI’S JAN. UNEMPLOYMENT FIGURES

Tunica 17.3

Benton 10.4

Marshall 9.3

Tate 8.4

Alcorn 7.0

Tippah 9.5

Prentiss 8.5

Tishomingo 8.7

Union 6.4 Panola 10.3

Labor force and employment security data STATE OF MISSISSIPPI Labor Force Data Civilian Labor Force Unemployed Unemployment Rate (Adjusted) Unemployment Rate (Unadjusted) Employed UNITED STATES Labor Force Data Civilian Labor Force Unemployed Unemployment Rate (Adjusted) Unemployment Rate (Unadjusted) Employed

Jan ‘14 1,258,100 99,100 7.5 7.9 1,159,000

Dec ’13 1,267,700 92,100 8.0 7.3 1,175,600

Jan ’13 1,320,200 140,900 9.3 10.7 1,179,300

’13 Avg. 1,300,200 114,200 XXX 8.8 1,186,000

Coahoma 13.7

Jan ‘14 154,381,000 10,855,000 6.6 7.0 143,526,000

Dec ’13 154,408,000 9,984,000 6.7 6.5 144,423,000

Jan ’12 154,794,000 13,181,000 7.9 8.5 141,614,000

’13 Avg. 155,389,000 11,460,000 XXX 7.4 143,929,000

Humphreys 14.2

Moving Avg.** 155,355,000 11,266,000 XXX 7.3 144,089,000

Dec 2013 13,029 101,402 $14,294,194 75,972 4,829 2,047 $188.15

Jan 2013 13,777 118,153 $16,394,633 86,217 6,583 2,183 $190.16

Carroll 8.3

Montgomery 10.3

Holmes 17.0

Warren 8.8

Digital Reprint Article or list will be reformatted with Mississippi Business Journal masthead on the top of the page

Rankin 4.5

Hinds 7.1

Wilkinson 10.5

Franklin 8.8

Clay 17.4

Webster 12.1

Lowndes 9.3

Oktibbeha 8.5

Choctaw 9.1

Winston 11.1

Leake 8.6

Neshoba 6.1

Scott 5.4

Newton 6.7

Lincoln 7.0

Pike 8.6

Covington Jones 6.5 5.7

Noxubee 15.7

Kemper 13.0

Walthall 9.3

Marion 8.7

Lamar 5.5

Forrest 6.7

Pearl River 7.3

Hancock 7.3

Lauderdale 7.5

Clarke 9.1

Wayne 9.6

Lawrence Jeff Davis 8.5 9.7

Unemployment Rates ates 4.5 - 5.6 5.7 - 8.7 8.8 - 14.8 14.9 - 17.4

Jasper 8.5

Smith 6.9

Simpson 6.5

Copiah 8.4

Amite 8.8

The owners have hired Heritage Equity Partners of Easton, Md., to seek the sale of its business or assets. Fred Cross, a managing director at Heritage Equity, called the company “an excellent opportunity to acquire an established manufacturing company with a deep history” and a substantial backed loan from BizCapital came as part of a purchase of the company in manufacturing capacity 2012 by a group of Sanderson executives led by Tom Whitaker, Sanderson’s Higgins said he has had contact with companies and investors who current CEO. have previously encouraged him to let them know when he sees a In the two years since, big box retail customers such as HomeDepot and problem company.

Walmart have refused to pay higher prices to accommodate increased “We think the building is marketable,” he said of the plant situated on 30 costs Sanderson incurred in making the toilet seats and in importing acres at 2218 Tuffy Lane. foreign-made seats for U.S. distribution, according to Higgins.

“The building has got rail siding and redundant electricity,” both strong “The lender has to understand the market conditions,” Higgins said. selling points, Higgins noted.

The more time allowed the more likely a buyer can be found, he added.

Rail assets also include service from four Class One lines and a pair of Current owner Beneke Magnolia and CEO Whitaker said nearly 100 short lines, he added. companies discussed a potential buy the week before last, The Columbus “Where this plant is located is rail central.”

Commercial Dispatch reported this week. The newspaper noted Whitaker Some of the machinery has the potential to be converted to uses other said an auction is a possibility if no buyer comes forward. than making toilet seats, according to Higgins.

A recently issued sales announcement said Sanderson Plumbing wants a A shutdown would leave the state as owner of the company’s 360,000 buyer for both the Columbus and Butler, Ala., plants. The Butler plant, square-foot building. which produced woodflour plastic, closed two years ago.

Continued from Page 9

Monroe 11.3

Madison 5.6

Adams 7.5

— Mississippi Department of Employment Security

SHUTDOWN

Yazoo 10.5

Issaquena 14.8

Itawamba 7.8

Chickasaw 10.5

Attala 10.2

Jefferson 15.0

** Average for most recent twelve months, including current month •• Unemployment Insurance amounts presented in this section only represent regular UI benefits, federal program amounts are not included.

Labor force amounts are produced in cooperation with the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Note: Unless indicated state and county data presented are not seasonally adjusted.

Framed Article

Leflore 12.6

Washington 13.9

Claiborne 13.8

Jan 2014 9,891 100,911 $13,713,906 72,598 5,791 1,852 $188.90

Calhoun 9.5

Grenada 8.1

Sharkey 13.2

STATE OF MISSISSIPPI Unemployment Insurance Data •• Initial UI Claims Continued Claims Benefits Paid Weeks Paid First Payments Final Payments Average Weekly Benefit

and be provided in PDF format.

Yalobusha 9.3

Bolivar 10.5 Sunflower 14.7

Lee 7.7

Pontotoc 7.2

Quitman 14.1 Tallahatchie 12.1

Moving Avg.** 1,295,100 110,700 XXX 8.5 1,184,400

Lafayette 6.0

Perry 7.9

Stone 6.9

Harrison 7.2

Greene 9.7

George 8.4

Jackson 8.0

Source: Labor Market Data Publication January 2014 Design: Labor Market Information Department, MDES

The MDA said March 11 that Sanderson still owes about $2.225 million on a 2012 loan of $2.5 million.

Sanderson Plumbing Products was founded in Chicago as FindeisenKropf in 1883. Henry Beneke Sr. bought the business in 1923, and changed the company name to Beneke. In 1954, Beneke developed a process for molding wood seats out of sawdust by combining the once discarded wood waste with resin under intense heat and pressure. The product was trademarked as “Tuffy.”

At the same time, the company entered plastic manufacturing. Today, manufacturers, including Sanderson, still produce “woodflour”, plastic and vinyl bathroom seats, and Sanderson still sells the Tuffy brand into the plumbing wholesale market under the Beneke logo, and also into the retail market under the Magnolia line.

As recently as 1999, Sanderson produced an average one million toilet seats a month and employed 900 people. Roughly 100,000 toilet seats a month are now made at the Columbus plant.

Sanderson also has a variety of U.S.-based and internationally-based design and utility patents on plumbing implements, connectors and brackets.

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AN MBJ FOCUS:

ARCHITECTS & ENGINEERS

GEOTECHNICAL

SoilTech samples soil before projects begin

By LISA MONTI I CONTRIBUTOR mbj@msbusiness.com

SoilTech Consultants is a geotechnical engineering firm based in Ridgeland that does soil sampling and analysis and provides foundation and pavement recommendations for various types of projects for architects, civil engineering firms, commercial developers, departments of transportation, utility and telecommunication companies, county board of supervisors, municipalities and other clients before they begin work on any project. In addition to geotechnical investigations, the company provides construction material testing for projects during the construction phase.

The company, a subsidiary of Neel-Schaffer Engineers and Planners Inc., opened in 2002 and has four offices in the state, specializing in geotechnical engineering and construction material testing services.

There is a lab in each office with the most sophisticated setup in the Ridgeland office. Locations are in Long Beach, McComb and West Point.

SoilTech’s newest office in West Point is working at the site of the massive Yokohama Tire Company plant being constructed in phases. The first phase is 1 million square feet and when construction is completed over the next 15 to 20 years, the tire plant will have a total of

Photo courtesy of Neel-Schaffer / 5 million square feet.

Special to the MBJ SoilTech is staffed with 20 full-time Soil samples and 11 part-time employees with a cumulative of over 160 years of experience. Most have master’s degrees in civil engineering and a couple have PhDs in civil engineering.

“We pride ourselves in taking care of our clients and being efficient,” said Volk Michael Volk, SoilTech president who has practiced civil engineering for more than 20 years.

Neel-Schaffer is listed in the most recent Engineering News-Record as 197 among the top 500 design firms

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DUVALL DECKER A R C H I T E C T S , P. A .

2915 NORTH STATE STREET . JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI 39216 . PHONE 601.713.1128 . FAX 601.713.1168 W W W. D U VA L L D E C K E R .C O M . R O Y T. D E C K E R , A I A . A N N E M A R I E D E C K E R , A I A

See

SOILTECH, Page 15

“We pride ourselves in taking care of our clients and being efficient.”

Michael Volk President, SoilTech

ARCHITECTS & ENGINEERS SOILTECH

soil samples. Depending on the workload and location of the project, SoilTech will contract out some of their drilling with local contract drillers to help expedite the project or keep costs down for the client, Volk said.

SoilTechâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s extensive portfolio includes a long list of projects for the Mississippi Department of Transportation. Mostly recently the company worked with MDOT to provide a soil profile and geotechnical bridge study along the proposed State Route 9 in Pontotoc County. Another MDOT project looked at bridges and on/off ramps on U.S. 78 at the Coley Road Extension in Tupelo.

SoilTech engineers have recommended foundation types for telecommunications companiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; cell towers and analyzing existing towers for added capacity.

The company also performed a geotechnical investigation and pavement design for a 10,000 foot runway at Columbus Air Force Base.

SoilTech has worked with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the construction of the Hurricane and Storm Damage Risk Reduction Levee System in southern Louisiana and other clients in analyzing and inspecting dams and levees to protect against flooding.

Continued from Page 14

in the country and SoilTech supports the company in its design projects. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our main client is Neel-Schaffer but we also do work for other civil engineering firms, contractors, commercial developers, architects, utility and telecommunication companies, municipalities and counties.â&#x20AC;?

Work is performed throughout Mississippi and in Tennessee, Alabama and Louisiana. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have a wealth of knowledge of the soils in this region,â&#x20AC;? Volk said.

Among the geological challenges found in Mississippi soils is the infamous Yazoo clay, which Volk described as a highly expansive soil that shrinks and swells, depending on the moisture that is present at the time. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very problematic,â&#x20AC;? he said. Other troublesome soils are the alluvial soils found in the Delta, the windblown silts called Loess found along the bluffs near the Mississippi River, the chalks and expansive clays located in Northeast Mississippi and some of the sandy soils in South Mississippi.

SoilTech recently acquired a powerful truckmounted drill rig to handle the increased workload and to help market the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s services to architects, county engineers, MDOT and other clients. The rig can drill down to 100 feet to collect

CHARLES C. BARLOW, JR. AIA

J. SCOTT EDDY AIA

DAVID T. JENKINS AIA

BRIAN T. CABUNAC AIA, LEED AP

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March 21, 2014

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Mississippi Business Journal

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Photo courtesy of Neel-Schaffer / Special to the MBJ

SoilTech Consultants, a subsidiary of Neel-Schaffer Engineers and Planners Inc., opened in 2002 and now has four ofďŹ ces in the state, specializing in geotechnical engineering and construction material testing services.

ARCHITECTS & ENGINEERS

16 I Mississippi Business Journal I March 21, 2014 DESIGN

Less archispeak, more performance

I

F OR OR S LE AL AS E E

like my job a lot. I have the incredible opportunity to learn something new each day, and the chance to get to teach something new to someone also. It is an incredible feeling getting to create and watch your creations come to life in the world. But my friends have recently bombarded me with some wise, but mostly funny asides, quips and jokes about architecture trying to take me down a notch, I guess. These are the kind of pointed comments and jokes usually reserved for the, dare I say, (clearing my throat and mumbling) lawyers. The flattering include, “Architects: Someone that is cool enough to bring the house down, and also skilled enough to build it back up.” I like that! Go on... wait...“Architects lose the ability to speak like regular people because in college, ‘archispeak’ is drilled into their heads like waterboarding. Listen to an architect talk for an evening and I can guarantee that you will hear at least one of the following words: ‘juxtaposition,’ ‘axis mundi,’ ‘clarity,’ ‘truncated,’ ‘uniformity’ and ‘composition.’”

The author then goes on to say, “Architects don’t seem to love anything that actually exists. They might say that they really like

something … but even then they will systematically point out all of its flaws.”

Wow, I don’t like where this is headed, but I guess if we can’t laugh at ourselves first, we can’t honestly laugh Jeff Seabold at all the lawyers. Well, not in good conscious anyway.

The last two quips came from a website “Life of an Architect” (written by an architect) in a post titled, “Dating an Architect.”

I had to hang my head low after reading it, and sigh a lot, because clearly there were at least one to two inaccuracies in his commentary about my fellow species. The author does make a point in the introduction, which has some cultural value for us to examine. He points out that architects are widely considered by the general public to be intelligent, honorable and stylish. (He later goes on to refute this as we only wear a lot of black, and only black because we can’t find anything darker to wear.) There also is a “...clearly a perception that architects are ethical and responsible and will endeavor to make the right decision to their own detri-

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ment.” I will agree with these sentiments to a degree. I think we try our level best to be responsible, but often we are left without between our client, their project, and the law. I will go onto say that I also think that sometimes in our lofty design focused conversational language (archispeak) and process our client’s can lose site of the importance of the building science and performance of their building. “The building looks really cool, so who cares about how it works. Please draw another pretty picture.”

This illustrates a problem on a couple levels for us all to consider.

With this general perception in mind, I sincerely find the Mississippi Legislature’s take on architect’s role and opinions to be quite puzzling. On Feb. 19 of this year we had a building fail in Jones County. The second story of prefabricated metal building at a church collapsed, luckily only injuring 35 people. I guess I am just pointing out the flaw here, but why aren’t we looking to have building officials and code adoption across our state during this legislative session? (I know this happened after the deadline to introduce new bills, but hopefully, this discussion that follows will be meaningful.) A simplistic understanding of building codes is that they are the bare minimum standards in which a building can be built without breaking the law. Put another way, building to code is the bottom rung of the ladder.

Truthfully, my knowledge of this incident is very limited. I know nothing about the specifics of this building collapse other than the news reports on the incident and the reporting of eyewitness accounts. I don’t know if the building was built to code, was inspected during construction, or had an architect or engineer been involved in the design of the building. I am making an educated guess on these assumptions, but Jones County has not adopted any codes according to the International Code Council.

In the last year, I was asked by a group to design a building in a rural county of Mississippi, and was asked by another architect from out of state working with them what building code was recognized there. I responded, we will be using the International Building Code (IBC) 2012. (The latest edition of this widely accepted code.) They were shocked, to say the least, that this county would have adopted the latest code.

I informed them that the county itself had no building inspector and had not adopted a building code that we were required to follow outside an energy performance standard that was passed into law that year.

They were even more surprised by my answer now, asking me, “Why 2012 then?

Isn’t that excessive.” My response was simple, “God forbid anything happen to this building due to catastrophic weather or otherwise, but can you imagine standing in a courtroom or in a lawyers office giving a deposition and answering as to what stan-

dard you followed to design the building?

Can you imagine telling a jury you used the decade-old bare minimum standard of IBC 2003 (their suggestion) to design the building that just collapsed? How do you think that will play out?” One does not have to be a legal expert to know how that would come across to the general public in the end. This makes the job of design difficult. It is a matter of assumed risk that we all have to understand as it affects every single one of us.

Hopefully, people are making the right decision here, but I think I am being overly optimistic here.

This falls on the shoulders of architects and engineers to stand up and speak up, but I will also say it also falls on the shoulders of contractors, developers, tenants, and homeowners too in demanding better buildings.

We spend 90 percent of our lives in buildings—NINETY PERCENT. Can you image going to a restaurant where they have a note on the menu that reads: “We use only the bare minimum standard for all our food,” and then seeing all the boxes of food being delivered stamped: “Meat: Grade E: Edible.” I personally, would never eat out again and be demanding better food, if that were the case. But this is what we do everyday with our buildings.

Why don’t we demand more and better is in part developed from the false conception that this better more resilient has to cost an incredible magnitude more than the current stock? This is worth looking into an investigating so our clients can make informed decisions. Most of the time some of these added measures would result in significant savings on a monthly basis in the operation of the building.

I don’t make any secrets about being the sustainable architect here in Jackson. It is not the tree-hugging image that most have; it is more like that of a responsible building advocate. I believe that sustainable design is the most responsible way to design and build buildings. Under that green umbrella fall the new buzzwords “resilient design.”

Post Katrina we understand the importance of having a stronger building.

When you see hurricane force winds 200miles inland in Jackson, you start to understand the sheer awesome power of these storms. But when you also look at the data and studies that also shows the tornado alley has shifted east, and Mississippi is now likely the highest or one of the top five states effected by tornadoes, you also see the importance of understanding resilient design is a critical factor in being resilient. Being built just to code is not factoring in resiliency.

I have talked to several legislators over the years about this subject, and asked what is simply more important to debate in your short time at the capital. This year it is a bill revising the 1818 law adding words to the See

SEABOLD, Page 18

ARCHITECTS & ENGINEERS

March 21, 2014

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EDUCATION

Wiggins named polymer science head at USM

By LISA MONTI I CONTRIBUTOR mbj@msbusiness.com

Dr. Jeffrey Wiggins, the new director of the School of Polymers and High Performance Materials at the University of Southern Mississippi, took advantage of spring break to work in his office. He is focused on hiring new faculty members along with overseeing diverse research, running a new degree program and promoting community outreach efforts, among other duties.

The school is familiar territory to Wiggins, a Washington State native who got a PhD in polymer science there. He then spent 12 years in industry, working as general manager of manufacturing for Nike, before returning to Hattiesburg in 2005 as a faculty member. Wiggins served the previous year as interim director, after taking over for Dr. Robert Lockheed, who returned to teaching and research.

The school of polymer science has 10 faculty members and Wiggins plans to hire four more over the next two years for the new polymer science engineering degree.

Special to MBJ

Dr. Jeffrey Wiggins is looking to grow the University of Southern Mississippi’s School of Polymers and High Performance Materials, but still finds time to conduct research.

“First and foremost identifying and hiring the next generation of faculty for the school is an important part of what I’m doing,” he said.

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The USM school offers bachelor of science, master of science and PhD level degrees. There are about 100 undergraduate students and around 75 gradu-

ate or PhD students.

“Most of our graduates have job offers when they leave,” he said. Advanced degrees bring graduates starting salaries of $80,000 to $100,000; BS degrees start at $40,000 to $60,000.

Most graduates find jobs outside of Mississippi. Potential employers in the state include GE Aviation, Nissan, Toyota and Huntington Ingalls.

About 15 of the undergraduate students are in the new program, now in its second year. “The polymer science engineering degree is a true engineering program and the first one at Southern Miss and in the state,” he said. “We’re really excited about that.”

Wiggins said getting the degree program up and running and finding faculty and polymer engineers to set the standards for the school will take a couple of years. “It certainly is one of the major undertakings I’m focused on immediately,” he said.

The school carries out a broad range of polymer science research. “We tend to focus in areas of sustainable or environSee

WIGGINS, Page 18

FOCUS

18 I MBJ I March 21, 2014

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mentally friendly materials development,â&#x20AC;? he said. One focus is in the area of personal care products including skin creams, cosmetics, detergents, and shampoos.

The energy related research includes fuel cells, windmills, energy storing and transport materials. Some involves photovoltaics, the process of extracting energy from the sun using solar panels.

Composites research to develop the light-weight and high-strength materials involves working with companies such as Boeing and GE Aviation, automotive companies and the U.S. Air Force.

Work is also being done in the area of personal protection, â&#x20AC;&#x153;things like helmets and body armor with companies that supply sporting goods products as well as military warfighter protection,â&#x20AC;? he said.

Another major research area is in functional coatings that serve a second purpose and could be used for biological or chemical warfare.

The diverse research is based on more than 40 years of relationships with major corporations, national labs and federal agencies include the Departments of Defense and Energy and the National Science Foundation. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We do a lot of work for the military and we work with all the national labs,â&#x20AC;?

Wiggins said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We also have quite a bit of international collaboration, working with other researchers all over the world ad-

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Continued from Page 16

great seal of Mississippi. But wait, we added language to it and it now possibly discriminating against tens of thousands of Mississippians (SB2681), so we have to spend weeks debating this language. If thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s that you want, great change the language to read just that, and letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s move onto serious an important issues. Maybe introducing and debating a bill that could save lives and protect all the citizens of Mississippi would be worthy of debating. It certainly sounds great and who couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get behind something like that when campaigning in the fall for reelection?

But again I ask, whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more important to spend your time on debating? A bill that would restrict or limit conjugal visits (HB921) or introducing a bill to amend the bill past last year (HB488) that limits the choices of Mississippians on the rating system that can be used on our publically funded buildings. If the intent was to use more Mississippi forestry products then letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s right bills that encourages just that supporting local economies and Mississippian companies that create more jobs and grow our economy. Limiting our choices does not achieve the far seems unreasonable to me as a Mississippian. Personally, I want to see more high performing, third party certified buildings and schools in my home state that cost the public less to operate?

We spend 90% of our lives in a building.

vancing polymer science.â&#x20AC;?

Wiggins said the caliber of students, faculty and facilities make the polymer science school stand out. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The first thing that comes to mind is the quality of our students. We recruit students from the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most prominent undergraduate programs to come and do research here as well as international students.â&#x20AC;?

He said the recognition of the faculty members in their various areas of expertise gives the school an international reputation â&#x20AC;&#x153;as both a pioneer and leader in polymer science.â&#x20AC;?

Also, he said, the facilities are world class and the established infrastructure â&#x20AC;&#x153;allows us to do very high level research.â&#x20AC;?

The school also has an active outreach program in local schools. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve established 10 high school programs in polymer science, from Corinth to Moss Point. In addition we have eight high school programs in Forrest and Lamar counties where graduate students spend one day a week in classrooms working with science teachers on their teaching plans and helping to communicate the importance of science to students.â&#x20AC;?

Also, the school hosts more than 500 junior high and high school students a year for various activities to get them engaged in science.

Wiggins said participation is growing and the outreach is producing results. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Students have come not just to Southern Miss but theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going into the sciences at all of our state schools.â&#x20AC;?

We all work, go to school, and live in buildings. Beyond a model of having of a bare minimum standard for all our buildings, why is it important to limit our choices for rating public buildings without the other in place? Can we please have a real discussion about this?

We as architects have to do better about our communication skills and speaking up to the builders of buildings and help educate the users of buildings as to the total cost of all our decisions. There is a right way and a wrong way to do this. I recently learned that in the Disney culture and design process there are a couple things you arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t allowed to do. I will leave you with these lessons. One is that the word â&#x20AC;&#x153;problemâ&#x20AC;? doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t exist in the Disney Company; instead there are opportunities. Also, you are not allowed to say, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;tâ&#x20AC;? or â&#x20AC;&#x153;thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s impossible.â&#x20AC;? You have to instead work to find a solution together; this creates opportunities.

We have a lot of opportunities here in Mississippi.

We just have to learn to have real discussions about them and to work together to build a better Mississippi collectively.

Jeff Seabold, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP Homes, is the principal architect of Seabold Architectural Studio www.seabold-studio.com and the chair of the U.S. Green Building Council - Mississippi Chapter www.usgbcms.org. You can reach him at Jeff@seabold-studio.com for further comment.

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21

22 I Mississippi Business Journal I March 21 2014 »MISSISSIPPI BUSINESS PROFILES

» JEFFREY GITOMER – SALES MOVES

THINKANEW

A game plan to generate a thousand social media leads.

Alan Turner

Taking on the World of IT

D

on Glidewell, president of THINKANEW in Madison, is one of those folks whose enthusiasm is infectious. In a recent meeting, he discussed how THINKANEW started, where the business stands today, and where he intends to take it in the future.

From its start in 2007, the company has grown to encompass operations in 15 states, providing what Don referred to as “IT in a box,” including such services as specialized health care IT, WAN/LAN management, telecommunications, disaster recovery services, security and more. The company works with businesses of all sizes, but seems to have carved out an important niche providing IT services to nursing homes and managed care facilities, among others.

Don certainly fits the picture of a successful Mississippi entrepreneur. Growing up in what he described as “relatively poor circumstances” in his hometown of Corinth, Miss., he started working for Caterpillar when he was 19 years old, and from there, it’s all been on the upside. He credits Caterpillar with providing many opportunities to help him achieve the education and experience he needed to ultimately become a successful entrepreneur.

Initially, Don was involved in post-Katrina recovery work, helping to rebuild systems for nursing homes and hospitals on the Gulf Coast. From there, he has never looked back, and THINKANEW has grown exponentially in the past 6 years.

I asked him how the name “THINKANEW” came to be.

“Actually, it’s a quote that I read from a speech by Abraham Lincoln,” he said. In part, the quote reads “As our case is new, so we must think anew and act anew.” That seems apropos for the company, whose mission is to be one of Mississippi’s best and brightest technology companies.

Asked the secret of THINKANEW’s success, Don pointed to two vital considerations.

“We have a great team of people here,” he said.

“They care about our customers, and I’m super proud of our group. Secondly, our primary focus is always on providing the very best customer service to our clients. In fact, since we started, we have never lost a single client.” There are probably few businesses that can make that statement.

Don is definitely a cheerleader for Mississippi and foresees a bright future for our state.

“We have great resources in terms of energy, water, agriculture, and a positive business climate,” he said.

“Even more so, we have a wealth of great people in Mississippi. Just look at my team and you can see what I mean.”

Don tries to hire as many veterans as possible, and

Special to the Mississippi Business Journal

Don Glidewell has led THINKANEW from a start-up company in 2007 to a firm that today has operations in 15 states.

he notes that many of them have a “great skill set and the work ethic to do great work.” n my visit with Don, he introduced me to a number of his people, and it was obvious that they are an enthusiastic group.

“I’d say we have a definite family culture here,” he said.

In his offices, he has portraits and quotes from successful people going back to Henry Ford, and including the Lincoln quote.

In addition to his professional work, Don is also committed to helping those in the community who need a boost. Among other things, this includes a website he helped to create which is dedicated to assisting jobseekers who need to create effective resumes.

“It’s so important that we find ways to overcome the culture of poverty and despair. We have to give the kids the means to learn, to work, and to earn their way in the world,” he said. “It’s so important that people learn how to dream, and then go forth to achieve their dreams.”

Asked what he sees as the challenges facing Mississippi businesses these days, he suggested (along with numerous other entrepreneurs and CEO’s I’ve talked with) that business has become “over-regulated” in the past number of years, and that such over-regulation is a disincentive to investment and business growth. But he has no intention of letting such things slow down the growth of THINKANEW. Where does he expect to go in the next 5 years?

“We’re definitely looking to expand our reach geographically,” he said. “We’re exploring new markets and new opportunities in the categories we serve.”

Based on what I saw and learned on my visit to THINKANEW, I’d say the company is ready to take on the world. As I said, the enthusiasm is infectious.

Contact Mississippi Business Journal publisher Alan Turner at alan.turner@msbusiness.com or (601) 364-1021.

I

have a goal and a plan to attract 1,000 leads in the next 30 days.

Six months ago I launched my Gitomer Certified Advisor program. It allows others in the coaching and training field to use my brand and sell my classroom training and my online platform along with their offerings — or by itself.

After a very successful (but limited) launch, I want to take the program to the next level and need to find interested and qualified people to do so.

THINK ABOUT YOU AS I TELL YOU ABOUT ME. Before I get into the strategy and actions I’m going to take, I want you to understand why I’m writing about the process. I want you to compare it to how you attract, how you prospect, and how you connect with willing buyers.

• How do you get leads?

• How do you prospects?

• What is your strategy to socially involve and attract?

• Is your personal platform strong enough to attract?

• What is your social media lead-conversion rate?

The answers to these questions will significantly impact results.

BIG PICTURE: The strategy for this “attraction campaign” is to use every form of social media and electronic outreach to find interested people, and offer them multiple ways to connect with me. The goal is to give information immediately without a barrier of registering or giving me their information. I want to get my messages BOTH responded to and passed along.

THE TARGETS: In order to get 1,000 leads, I am going to mass mail my contacts and connections AND specifically target existing coaches, existing sales trainers (corporate and independent), and anyone looking to start their own sales training business that wants to use the Jeffrey Gitomer brand to increase authenticity. As a Gitomer Certified Advisor, I provide them with the content, the brand, and the training to make it happen.

TIMED SOCIAL MESSAGES: Posting time and frequency are directly proportionate to the audience reached and their likelihood of response. From my personal experience, my social media consulting expert, Joe Soto, and the article, “The Scientific Guide to Posting Tweets, Facebook Posts, Emails and Blogs at the Best Time” in The Huffington Post, the best times to post on social media are as follows blog.bufferapp.com/best-time-to-tweet-post-to-facebook-send-emails-publish-blogposts: Facebook. Best post times are between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Monday through Friday; engagement rates are 18 percent higher on Thursdays and Fridays.

Twitter. Tweet later in the day. Re-tweets on Twitter are higher at 5 p.m. compared to any other time during the day; the best times to post are between noon and 6pm. This same study found that people are on Twitter 181 percent more during their commute. Think about it. Aren’t you more likely to be all about your life and how to improve it before or after work?

LinkedIn The Media Bistro suggests LinkedIn is most often used right before and after work hours (specifically on Tuesday and Thursday, but no one knows exactly (except maybe LinkedIn).

Blog readers read in the morning, with the “sweet spot” being Thursdays around 11am. But that’s a subjective opinion as well.

YouTube has no “best time.” By comparison to others, its visitors are more search oriented, so I intend to be both searchable and findable. And my new video posts will go out to all my existing subscribers.

CRAP SHOOT REFINED: No one really knows. All messages are different, and all experts are flawed. (I’ve been proving that for years.) I believe that content is a bigger key than what time you post it. And key words will get you found. So that’s where I’m concentrating. I’m going out to my audience, and asking them to go out to their audience (re-tweet, repost, forward, like, comment, and anything else that spreads the word organically).

My overall goal is to generate at least 1,000 leads by May. You may think that is an aggressive goal, but highly achievable through social media and email. Generating 1,000 leads will create a pipeline that will lead me to one sale per day by June 2014.

And I am going to give you the complete detailed outreach plan for you to use as a guide to creating your own game plan for new leads – next week.

If you’d like to see the exact email and subject line I’m going to use, go to www.gitomer.com and enter the word ADVISOR in the GitBit box.

Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of “The Sales Bible”, “Customer Satisfaction is Worthless” “Customer Loyalty is Priceless”, “The Little Red Book of Selling”, “The Little Red Book of Sales Answers”, “The Little Black Book of Connections”, “The Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude”, “The Little Green Book of Getting Your Way”, “The Little Platinum Book of Cha-Ching”, “The Little Teal Book of Trust”, “The Little Book of Leadership”, and “Social BOOM!” His website, www.gitomer.com, will lead you to more information about training and seminars, or email him personally at salesman@gitomer.com.

March 21 2014

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Mississippi Business Journal

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» MISSISSIPPI LEADERS by Martin Willoughby

Truth in broadcasting Agnew uses journalism background to lead MPB

O

ne of the key attributes of great leaders is the ability to speak the truth. Pioneering broadcast journalist Edward R. Murrow once said, "To be persuasive we must be believable; to be believable we must be credible; to be credible we must be truthful." Murrow, known for his integrity and willingness to tackle controversial topics, understood that the foundation of trust is the ability to speak the truth. My interviewee this week, Ronnie Agnew, executive director of Mississippi Public Broadcasting (MPB), has spent his career in journalism and learned early on the value of speaking truth as a leader.

Agnew grew up in very modest circumstances in Saltillo, Miss. Even though both of his parents only had an elementary education, they were able to provide a college education for eight of their nine children including Agnew who graduated from Ole Miss with a degree in broadcasting.

Agnew began his journalism career at the Greenwood Commonwealth where he worked for the owner, John Emmerich.

Agnew noted, “John was an example of what a true newspaper man should be. He saw the newspaper as a driving force for what the city should be, the paper helped to set the community agenda for the things that were uncomfortable (education, jobs,

Up Close With ... Ronnie Agnew Title: Executive director, Mississippi Public Broadcasting Favorite Books: “I read any form of good writing- newspaper, magazine, or novel. I enjoyed Black Boy by Richard Wright, a Natchez author. I also enjoy the writing of John Grisham, Willie Morris and Eudora Welty.”

First Job: ”When I was 14 years old, I lived in Grand Rapids, Mich., and landscaped cemeteries.”

Proudest Moment as a Leader: ”Seeing people, who have been under my leadership, excel as both employees and as individuals.”

Hobbies/Interests: “I enjoy college and professional football, as well as professional basketball, spending time with family and church activities.”

unemployment). He instilled the thought of ‘community journalism’ in my career.”

As a young leader with a Cincinnati, Ohiobased newspaper paper, Agnew was first put in a leadership position. He shared, “At age 27, I became the assistant city editor. I was responsible for supervising other writers who cover your topics. I learned to supervise people twice my age, and I also learned to stand my ground and deal with challenges.” Agnew’s 27-year career in the newspaper business allowed him to serve in a variety of leadership roles with differ-

ent organizations including serving as executive editor of The Clarion Ledger, which is owned by Gannet Co. Agnew acknowledged that one of his professors at Ole Miss had a significant influence on his career when he told him that “your true gift of writing.” I emphasize this point because you never know what will become of a seed of truth that you plant in someone else’s life. After a distinguished career in the newspaper business, Agnew decided to accept the position of executive director of Mississippi Public Broadcasting

“The people that you lead don’t expect you to be an expert in everything.”

Ronnie Agnew

in 2011. In this role, he directs the three primary areas that form the agency’s mission: Emergency preparedness and response, economic impact media and educational resource development Martin Willoughby for all projects.

During his leadership journey, Agnew has learned some powerful truths that he tries to live out in his daily life as a leader. He knows that whenever you serve in a leadership position that people are always watching with scrutiny.

He said, “The people that you lead don’t expect you to be an expert in everything, but they expect you to be fair and go to bat for them in the time of disagreement.” Agnew realistically acknowledged that we will all make people mad at times, particularly as a journalist. He said, “I learned that it is important not to back down to readers’ complaints. You will learn and gain respect from holding strong.” This is equally true as leaders. You can’t please everyone, but if you act with integrity and consistency you can earn people’s respect even if they disagree with you.

The MPB has been a great resource for the state of Mississippi since it first hit the airwaves in 1970.I remember spending hours as a kid watching the programs that MPB’s predecessor ETV aired. Agnew brings a commitment to truth and integrity to this position and is a great steward of the leadership of this organization.

Martin Willoughby is a business consultant and regular contributing columnist for the Mississippi Business Journal. He serves as Chief Operating Officer of Butler Snow Advisory Services, LLC and can be reached at martin.willoughby@ butlersnow.com.

Executive director, Mississippi Public Broadcasting

Stegner makes us pause and ponder friendships

I

» Crossing to Safety

By Wallace Stegner Published by Modern Library Classics $16.00 paperback

received this book last Christmas and must confess I was not familiar with this author. How could I have been unaware of Wallace Stegner? In 1972 he won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction for Angle of Repose, and in 1977 he won the National Book Award for Spectator Bird. He was often called “The Dean of Wester Writers,” and maybe that's a clue as to why I didn't know him. A staunch environmentalist, he served as a special assistant to Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall.

Stegner was a proud product of the West and much of his fiction is set there. With the glorious wealth of Southern writers we have, we Southerners may get caught up in that heritage and overlook other regional writers.

But onward to Crossing to Safety, which I'm finding to be a thought-provoking, elegantly-written novel. It's hard to explain what is meant by elegantly-written, but when you read something written by a true master, it makes all the difference in the

world. It's the difference between Eudora Welty and John Grisham — you can tell the master writer from the person who just writes stories. With Stegner the sentences flow with richness and meaning that make you want to go back and read them again.

Crossing to Safety may be somewhat autobiographical. It's about the friendship of two couples, beginning in 1937. Both husbands are university English professors. The novel follows their friendship through 40 years of career ups and downs, health problems, children, successes and failures. The two cou-

ples come from totally different backgrounds: Sally and Larry Morgan come from the West and have no money and no family; Sid and Charity Lang are from the East and have all that the Morgans do not have.

When they meet, the couples are new to the University of Wisconsin. The Langs take the Morgans under their wing, providing them with luxuries they otherwise wouldn't have. When faculty cuts are made, the couples must part, but their binding friendship brings them back together. There are serious illnesses and other travails of life. Stegner's prose gives pause to ponder what friendship means and why some friendships endure the test of time.

Stegner taught at the University of Wisconsin, Harvard and Stanford where he founded the creative writing program. The list of students he taught reads like a Who's Who of successful Americans.

— Lynn Lofton, mbj@msbusiness.com

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